500 GB per transfer
Sized for BIM
5 GB free for a drawing set; up to 500 GB per transfer with an account — 3D laser scans and federated models included.
Send CAD files and BIM models with no conversion
DWG drawings with their references, IFC models, STEP parts: TransferNow sends your technical files up to 5 GB for free and up to 500 GB with an account — the complete folder, xrefs included, with zero conversion.
- DWG · IFC · STEP
- Up to 500 GB per transfer
- Xrefs included
- No conversion
Average rating after at least one transfer:
4.8750,000 votes
4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)
The problem
Why do CAD files never go through by email?
A CAD project is never a single file: the DWG calls its xrefs, its dimension fonts and its background images; a BIM model or a 3D laser scan runs into gigabytes. A 20-25 MB attachment can’t even hold one properly referenced drawing.
Every workaround has a technical cost: purging and compressing the drawing saves a few megabytes, not a factor of 100; PDF export freezes the drawing and loses layers and object data; the office FTP works but demands a client app, credentials and maintenance.
The project folder has to arrive complete and workable. TransferNow sends it as is, up to 500 GB per transfer with an account.
- Outlook attachment20 MB
- Gmail attachment25 MB
- TransferNow — free, no sign-up5 GB
- TransferNow — with an account500 GB
Logarithmic scale — the exact values are what counts.
The solutions
Four ways to exchange CAD files
Between engineering firms, architects, manufacturers and subcontractors, exchanging technical files is a daily routine. An honest comparison of the common practices.
| Method | Max size | Quality | For the recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransferNow (complete folder)Recommended | 5 GB free · 500 GB with an account | Native files + xrefs intact | One click, no account |
| eTransmit / purge + ZIP | Capped by the attachment | Intact but rarely enough | Attachment if reduced enough |
| PDF export of the drawings | Light | Layers and object data lost | Viewing only |
| FTP / project platform | Varies | Intact | Credentials, client app, maintenance |
The complete folder: a workable project on arrival
Drag in the project folder: DWG, xrefs, fonts, background images, models. The structure is preserved — the references’ relative paths work on open at the recipient’s end.
eTransmit and purging: necessary, not sufficient
Packaging cleanly with eTransmit is still good practice — but the bundle overshoots the attachment anyway as soon as a survey or a model is involved. Combine them: eTransmit for the packaging, a dedicated transfer for the sending.
The PDF: a drawing to view, not to work with
PDF is fine for handing out at a site meeting. But the engineering firm that has to do the work needs the native DWG with its layers and object data — not a frozen vector image.
FTP: sturdy, dated
The office FTP has done the job for twenty years, at the cost of credentials to hand out, a client to install and a server to maintain. A browser link with no account does the same thing, minus the tech support.
Guide
How to send CAD files and BIM models with no conversion?
- 1
Drag in the project folder
Drawings, xrefs, models and surveys — up to 5 GB for free, folder structure preserved.
- 2
Protect and send
A password for sensitive projects, then send by email or share the link.
- 3
Track delivery
A notification on every download: you know when the engineering firm or the client has the drawings.
With TransferNow
Built for your CAD files
Byte for byte
No conversion
DWG, DXF, IFC, STEP, RVT, RCP… files travel strictly untouched: versions, layers, object data and georeferencing intact.
Xrefs · references
The references come along
Send the complete folder: relative paths to xrefs and background images are preserved — the drawing opens with no missing references.
Password
Sensitive projects protected
Tenders, secure sites, confidential drawings: a password on the download and an availability window you control.
Notifications
Issue tracking, documented
A notification on every download, per recipient — useful when the distribution of each revision has to be documented.
7 days · up to 365 days
Availability under control
Up to 7 days for free, up to 365 days with an account — and deactivate the link as soon as the next revision goes out.
5 GB free: how far does it go?
- 1 link
- for the project folder: drawings + xrefs + models
- ≈ 200×
- the Gmail attachment limit (25 MB)
- 500 GB
- a complete 3D laser scan in one transfer
- 0
- FTP servers to maintain or credentials to hand out
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a DWG with its xrefs without breaking them?
Send the complete folder (or the eTransmit package): TransferNow preserves the folder structure, so the xrefs’ relative paths work on open at the recipient’s end.
Do IFC files and BIM models go through?
Yes: IFC, RVT, NWD… travel as they are, up to 500 GB per transfer with an account. No conversion, object data and georeferencing intact.
Does the recipient need software or an account to receive the files?
No: they download from their browser, without an account. CAD software is only needed to open the files, not to receive them.
How do I document the distribution of a drawing revision?
Every download triggers a notification, per recipient: you know who retrieved the revision and when — and you can deactivate the link when the next one goes out.
How large can my CAD files be?
Up to 5 GB per transfer for free, with no sign-up — and up to 500 GB per transfer with an account, for large surveys and models.
Also worth sending
Sending other types of files?
All file types5 GB per transfer for free, no sign-up